Paul addresses something very specific.
“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.”
(Galatians 1:10)
Paul was accused of being soft and people pleasing. They accused him of watering down his message in some places while preaching boldly in others. But Paul made it clear: he never compromised his convictions or watered down the truth. You know what. That really is a dumb allegation. Anyone who knows Paul knows that he is anything but soft and people pleasing. But because they made that allegation, we are now able to talk about a key thing that every believer should have: A SPINE!
Taking a Stand for God’s Things
Here’s the larger truth: if you’re a child of God, you’ve got to stand up for what’s right. Don’t let people pleasing get in the way. Too many times, folks avoid confrontation at the first sign of trouble because picking a side might bring the wrath of others.
I remember an incident in India: a girl made serious allegations against the founder of a church. The leadership confronted the person, verified the claims, and took action. What struck me was that some church members—still friends with the founder—couldn’t bring themselves to pick a side. Some left the church, most stayed with the influential founder, and only a few held onto the truth. Reasons varied—some didn’t want to oppose the Lord’s anointed (an insurance teaching for the “anointed”), others simply didn’t want confrontation, and a few thought it was all just church politics. I remember one of the leaders ask, “Would they have done so if it was their own daughter?”.
People tend to take a stand when it is convenient for them. For instance, I have discussed in Colossians and the Modern Church blog that so-called Christians tend to vocalize their faith based on which is more cool. Political parties and celebs tend to decide what is cool. When Justin Bieber spoke about his faith, many so called believers decided they wanted to get on that cool wagon. How carnal is that? They are trying to find value in everything other than the Word. That is what people pleasing is. Finding irreplaceable value in the other person’s opinions about you.
What did Jesus do?
If you try to please everyone, ministry becomes nearly impossible. Remember, Jesus didn’t cater to everyone’s sensibilities. He was kind and compassionate to unbelievers, but when it came to those in the church spreading lies and false doctrine, He was downright harsh.
He called a spade a spade, especially those who claimed to know God. Throughout Scripture, the strongest language isn’t reserved for murderers or adulterers—it’s aimed at those pushing religious error. John the Baptist called the Pharisees and Sadducees a “generation of vipers” (Matthew 3:7), and Jesus Himself called the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, whited sepulchers, serpents, and a generation of vipers (Matthew 23:25, 27, 33). Paul, too, delivers a divinely inspired barrage against the Judaizers and anyone else spreading false doctrine here in Gal 1:10.
Be more understanding with the unbelievers, but be direct yet loving with those who call themselves believers.
Preaching the Full Truth
I’m not saying we should bash other religions just to make a point. Whatever the religion is, it is not because that religion has X number of flaws and inconsistencies that one should join Christianity. The gospel is not a comfortable alternative, and anyone who comes in thinking so, will not stay longer. Rather, when we preach the truth in its entirety, like Jesus did, it will make people notice, it will sound strong. That’s what Jesus did, right? He preached with authority and not worried about what people thought.
During the pandemic, I noticed many believers, who should have been standing firm in faith, got caught up in talking more about washing hands than focusing on Jesus. Fear was celebrated as wisdom. I felt compelled to post daily about faith to highlight the truth of the gospel. And yes, people got really offended—some still are. But the Lord helped me see that those driven by fear often mistake genuine faith for arrogance.
Speaking Love can Hurt
To offend is not always love, but to not offend is not always love either. Because what matters is to speak the truth in love, offend or not offend, it doesn’t matter. You can still love while offending people with the truth.
Imagine walking down the sidewalk: if someone shoves you, you’re naturally upset. But if you later realize that shove saved you from an oncoming car, you’d be thankful. It’s all about perspective. When we share the gospel, some might think we’re pushing them around. Yet, if they saw what disaster was avoided by that push, they’d appreciate the truth—if only they could see it in this life. Someday, in heaven, all will be made clear.
Paul even warned his beloved children in 1 Corinthians 4:14 that the truth might sting so much it could shame them—but that’s a reminder to stand firm in what is right.
It’s all for their good
The world will hate us if we’re children of God (John 7:7), but we’re called to speak the truth and admonish just as Paul did (1 Corinthians 4:14). Let them call you a lunatic or desert you—your duty is to preach the greatest message of all.
Think about it: I’ve never seen a doctor skip a vaccination because a kid might cry—they do it because it’s for the child’s good. How much more should our responsibility be? Often, we shy away from speaking the truth just to avoid offending.
What others think of you doesn’t matter (1 Corinthians 4:3). Don’t be a people pleaser. You’re God’s child. Just look at Saul—when he acted to please the people, he lost everything (1 Samuel 15:24). If you’re always worried about others’ opinions and emotions, you’ll never be able to stand firm in your ministry.
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